Art of car unloading



July '20 1926..

L. C. HILL ART OF CAR UNLOADING 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ira/6722a)";

Filed May 22, 1924 l 2077a; @Zvflii,

NM Q L L. C. HILL ART OF CAR UNLOADING- Filed May 22, 9 6 Sheets Shee'c 5 L. C. HILL ART OF CAR UNLOADING July 20, 1926.

w Wm H mf/ M .1. J J W WKW It W il- H W H X 5 I m @Q v Q m g M. wh m wkw 1led Ma July 20, 1926 L. c. HILL ART OF CAR'UNLOADING fl/ .z y s /V//// Wm/ MwL v W M w k 5% t k5 Z fi/ mm kh 4 mh Na 077% h J .0 N z M/ WM, MN, v 3% 1 QB, J W r 1 w w .WO 1 v I. 50%? Mn N Hy mmm Patented July 20, 1926.

UNITED STATES LIONEL COKE HILL, 0F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA.

ART OF CAR UNLOADING.

Application filed May 22, 1924, Serial No. 715,130, and in Great Britain January 25, 1924.

. This invention relates to improvements in the art of car unloading, and more especially to the. unloading or discharging of loose, broken up, or granular material from cars. The invention is here shown as embodied in acar unloader especially designed for handling railroad side-door box cars. It is .obvious, however, that, without detracting from the spirit of my invention, the features thereof may be embodied in devices adapted for unloading other kinds of cars, wagons and the like, such as motor cars, motor trucks, and other vehicles, and likewise other types of railroad cars, for example,

hopper-bottom cars, gondolas and the various other forms.

My improved car unloader is more compact, simpler, and cheaper to construct than the unloaders heretofore used; and it is, nevertheless, strong and rugged in construe tion, easy and cheap to operate, and capable of unloading large, heavily loaded cars in a quick and efficient manner.

Other features and advantages of my invention will appear morefully as I proceed with my specification.

In that form of device embodying the features of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the complete unloader,

Fig. 2 is a view mostly .in side elevation and partly in section taken on the line 22 of Fig.1,

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken as indicated by the line 33 of Fig. 4.

Figs. 4 and 4 are vertical longitudinal sectional views, Fig. 4 being a continuation V of Fig. 4,

Figs. 5 and 5 are horizontal sectional views taken as indicated by the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4 and i -5 of Fig. 4, respectively; Fig. 5*.being a continuation of Fig. 5,

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken as indicated by the line 6 of Fig. 4*,

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view showing the double eccentric forming a part of the reciprocating mechanism,

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the parts in an altered position, and

Fig. 9 is a view taken as indicated by the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

It is believed that a short general description of the construction and operation of the device will assist in an understanding of the detailed description. Therefore, it may be stated, that the device comprises, in gen eral, a platform or support mounted to rock about a horizontal longitudinal stationary axis and adapted to carry the car to be emptied. Suitable means are provided for tilting thecar supporting platform and car mounted thereon to one side by rotation on the horizontallongitudinal axis. Means are alsoprovided to center and firmly hold the car to be dumped against undesired endwisc movement on the supporting platform. Suitable means are also provided for imparting a reciprocating or vibratory motion to the car. In the device here shown, such motion is in a longitudinal direction and adapted to be given either while the platform and car are upright or tilted to one side. Means are also provided for suddenly arresting the movement of the car at one or both ends of its strokes during the reciprocation so as to impart a series of bumps or jars to the car during the rcciprocatory movement. As stated, these bumps or jars may occur at one or the other end of each stroke, or at both ends; or the reciprocation may be imparted, if desired, without any bumping. Any suitable means such as hoppers, conveyors, and the like, are provided for distributing or removing the grain or other material as it falls from the car.

Although I have shown particular means for reciprocating the car, bumping the same, tilting the platform, and performing the other operations of the device, and have shown particular forms of construction, it is to be understood that, without detracting from the spirit ofthis invention, other suitable means for performing such operations and other suitable forms of construction may be used.

I .will now describe the construction and operation of the device more in detail. As shown in the drawings, 10 indicates, in general, a rectangular platform or support comprising primarily two parallel I beams 11, 11 suitably joined together or otherwise braced as by the transverse I beams 12 here shown as four in number; the whole forming a rigid structure having mounted thereon two parallel rail sections 13, 13, together forming a track adapted to hold a railroad car here shown as a side-door box car and indicated by the reference numeral 14. The track 13, 13 on the platform 10 registers with'the permanent tracks 15, 15 at each end of the unloader when the platform is in normal horizontal position so that a car may be easily run onto or off of the platform from either end.

The platform 10 is mounted on four centrally arranged aligned bearings 16, 16 here shown as mounted beneath the transverse members 12, 12 and supported on the bottom of a longitudinal pit 17 arranged below the rocking platform. The pit 17 is somewhat widened and deepened at its central portion as indicated by 18 to accommodate the hopper, conveyor, and other mechanism of the device to be described more in detail hereinafter. One side of the platform 10 carries a rotatable longitudinally arranged shaft 19 carrying four pinions 20, 2O engaging with a like number of curved racks 21 mounted on the side 17 of the pit 17. Any suitable means is provided for rotating the shaft 19 and the pinions 20 to cause them to travel on the racks 21 to tilt the platform 10. As an example of such means, I have here shown an electric motor 22 adapted to drive the shaft 23. On the end of the shaft 23 is a worm 24 meshing with the gear 25. A suitable clutch 26 is provided for locking the worm 24 into engagement with the shaft 23. The gear is mounted on a shaft 27 carrying a worm 28 meshing with the gear 29 mounted on the shaft 19. It is obvious that with the clutch 26 in engagement, rotation of the motor 22 will rotate the shaft 19 and pinions 20 to tilt the platform 10 to one side. The extent of tilting may be limited by stops 30, 30 arranged at the lower ends of the curved racks 21.

Suitable means are also provided for centering and holding the car on the platform against endwise movement. Such means may be of known kind, and the details of the same form no part of the present invention. For purposes of illustration, I have here shown such centering and holding means as comprising two clamps 31, 31, one at each end of thecar. These clamps may be lowered in a well known manner to permit entry and removal of the car. Each of the clamps is mounted on a sliding carriage 33 provided with four shoes 34 adapted to slide in the uides 35 mounted on the longitudinal memers 11. Each carriage carries mounted thereon a block 36 through which is threaded the longitudinally arranged shaft 37 extending substantially the entire length of the car unloader. It is to be noted that the threads in one of the blocks 36 is right hand and in the other left hand, so that rotation of the shaft 37 serves to move'the two carriages 33 toward or away from each other. The following means are rovided for rotating the shaft 37. Loose y mounted on the shaft 23 of the motor 22 is a pinion 38 meshing with the pinion 39 splined on the shaft 37 A clutch 40 is provided to lock the pinion 38 to the shaft 23. It will be seen that when the clutch 40 is in engagement, the motor 22 can be used to rotate the shaft 37 to draw the clamps 31 toward each other or separate the same. In operation, the clamps 31 are lowered and separated a sufficient distance. The car 14 is then run onto the platform into the approximate center. The clamps 31 are then raised, the clutch 40 engaged, and the motor 22 operated to draw the clamps toward each other to grip and center the car 14. The pitch of the threads in the blocks 36, 36 makes the clamping mechanism self-locking. As here shown, one motor 22 is designed to perform both the tilting and clamping operations. Two motors may be used if desired. WVith the construction hcrc shown, the motor 22 may first bring the clamps together, the clutch 40 may then be thrown out and the clutch 26 thrown in and the motor used to tilt the platform. The tilting mechanism passing through the worms 24 and 28 may be made self locking so that the platform will remain in its tilted position.

I will now describe in detail the construction and operation of the means for reciprocating or vibrating the car on the platform. The power is adapted to be furnished by an electric motor 41, mounted on the under side of the platform, driving a pinion 41 meshing with a gear 41 mounted on a shaft 42. The shaft 42 carries two pinions 43 and 44, the former being relatively smaller. These two pinions are provided for the purpose of furnishing two speeds of reciprocation from a constant speed motor. Either one or the other of the two pinions 43 and 44 is adapted to be operatively engaged with the shaft 42 at one time. This may be accomplished by any suitable clutch arrangement of well known form here shown to a certain extent diagrammatically in Fig. 3 as indicated by 45 and 46, the clutch member 45 being adapted to lock the pinion 43 into engagement with the shaft 42 and the clutch 4(3 likewise serving to lock the pinion 44. The pinions 43 and 44 mesh with the pinions 47 and 48 respectively, on the shaft 49 likewise mounted on the bottom of the platform. The shaft 49 carries a double eccentric mechanism most clearly shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. This double eccentric mechanism comprises an eccentric wheel 50 carried by the shaft. Surrounding the wheel 50 is an eccentric collar 51. Surrounding the collar 51 is an eccentric strap 52 carrying the forked connecting rod 53 which is pivotally connected to a slipper 54 on the shaft 37. By means of the double eccentric arrangement the stroke of the slipper 54 may be varied by reversing the direction of rotation of the motor 41. The eccentric collar 51 is provided with a recess 55 on its inner surface extending approximately through a distance of 90. The eccentric wheel 50 carries a key 56 adapted for movement in the recess 55 but designed to engage elther one end or'the other depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft 49. When the shaft 49 is rotated b in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7, the eccentric collar 51 has one position relative to said shaft; but when the di-.

rection of rotation of the shaft is reversed as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8, it will be noted that the key 56 moves the length of the recess 55 permitting the collar to slip back about one quarter of a turn to the position shown in Fig. 8, thus lengthening the stroke of the slipper 54.

Mounted on the shaft 37 with the slipper 54 between them are two collars 57 and 58. The collar 57 is held by means of a pin 57. This collar has two adjustments. In the position shown in Fig. 4, the collars are far enough apart to permit some motion of the slipper between them. By placing the pin 57 in another hole 57 on the shaft 37 it may be moved up close enough to the slipper so as to take up the lost motion. With the collars separated as shown in Fig. 4, the arrangement is such that when the motor 41 operates, the slipper 54 reciprocates, engaging first one of the collars 57, 58 and then the other to reciprocate the shaft 37 and consequently the carriages 33 with their clamps 31 and consequently the car 14. The shaft 37 is permitted to slide longitudinally through the pinion 39 by a spline connection. It will be seen that the lost motion of the slipper 54 between the collars 57 and 58 will cause some bump or jerk at each end of the stroke because the slipper moving in one direction will engage, for example, the collar 57, causing the car to move in one direction, and as the slipper 54 nears the end of its stroke in this direction it will slow up so that the car by its momentum will run ahead until the collar 58 engages the slipper 54, thus stopping the movement of the car with some bump or jerk. Likewise, there will be a similar bum or jerk at the other end of the stroke. uch bumps or jerks, however, are not to be confused with heavier bumps or jerks which may be imparted to the car at either end of the strokes by mechanism to be described hereinafter. If desired, the pin 57 holding the collar 57 may be placed in the hole 57", thus placing both the collars 57 and 58 close to the slipper, thus taking up all the lost motion so that the reciprocations can be given without any bumps or jerks at all at the ends.

I will now describe more in detail the mechanism for imparting relatively heavier bumpers. The two bumpers 59 and 60 are carried on'a sleeve which is threaded in a supporting block and adapted for rotation y means of a suitable sprocket wheel 61 adapted to be rotated by a chain 62. By this construction the two blocks 59 and 60 may together be moved longitudinally in one direction or the other. The shaft 37 aso carries a collar 63 mounted near the bumper 60. The parts are so arranged that when theshaft 49 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figv 7, that is when the eccentric has its short throw in operation, neither of the collars 58 or 63 will engage either ofthe bumpers 59 or 60. When thus operating the only bumping or jerking at the ends of the strokes of the reciprocation Will be that caused by contact between the collars 57 and 58 with the slipper 54. These bumps or jerks are relatively light and may be entirely eliminated by adjusting the collar 57 up close to the collar 58 so as to take up all slipping or lost motion ofthe slipper 34 between said collars. ciprocating the car in this manner, the reciprocatory movement is preferably operated at fast speed. When it is desired to impart the relatively heavier bumps at one end only of the strokes of reciprocation, the pinion 43 is used in order to give a slower speed, and the direction of rotation of the motor 41 is reversed in order to drive the eccentric 50 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 8 to give the long stroke. With the long stroke in operation, the bumpers 59 and 60 may be adjusted to one side or the other to cause either the collar 58to engage the bumper 59 or the collar 63 to engage the bumper 60. When thus operating the collars 57 and 58 are separated to permit slippage of the slipper 54 between them. The parts are so adjusted and proportioned that the lost motion of the slipper 54 between the collars 57 and 58 permits suflicient overrunning of the shaft 37 to allow the bump without causing the mechanism to lock. For example, with the bumpers 59 and 60 adjusted to the left as viewed in Fig. 4*, the slipper 54 will move to the right in contact with the collar 58 until the slipper slows down near the end of its stroke. The momentum of the car, however, will carry the When relll collar 58 on beyond the end of the stroke of l the slipper 54 until said collar engages the bumper 59. The slippage of the member 54 between the collars permits this overrunning. When thus operating the colar 63 does not engage the bumper 60. Similarly, when the bumpers are adjusted to the right, as Viewed in Fig. 4, theshaft 37 overruns the stroke of the slipper 54 at each movement to the left, so that the collar 63 strikes the bumper 60. l/Vhen thus operating the collar 58 clears the bumper 59. The collars 58 and 63 are so spaced that either one or the other will bump but not both; so that the bum s or 'erks will occur at one end only of t e stro es of reciprocation, the particular end at which such bumps occur depending upon the adjustment of the bumpers 59 and 60.

Any suitable means may be provided for opening the door of a side-door box car preparatory to unloading. Such door opening mechanism, however, forms no part of the present invention. For the purpose of illustration, I have here shown a strut 64 pivoted at its lower end to a bearing block 65 fixed to the ground and carrying at its free end a plate or ram 66. The strut 64 is adapted to be normally held in upright position by means of a counterweight 67 but may be lowered into the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 3 to bring the plate 66 opposite the boards 68 such as are frequently placed on the inside of a car to cose the door opening. It is understood, of course, that the sliding door on the outside of the car has previously been opened. When in the position shown by the broken lines, it will serve to force the boards 68 inwardly as the car is tilted and thereby uncover the opening and permit the material 69 to escape.

Arranged in the central widened and deepened portion 18 of the pit 17 is a suitable hopper 70 and conveyor 71 such as a belt conveyor which may be used to assist in catching and carrying away the material as it falls from the car.

In operation, the reciprocatory movement may be imparted to the car either with the platform 10 horizontal or tilted. In unloading a box car such as that shown with side doors, the unloading would be hastened by tilting the car. In unloading a car with a hopper bottom extending substantially the full width of the car, but not the entire length of the car, the tilting could be dispensed with. In unloading, the short stroke reciprocations without the heavier bumping against the bumpers 59 or 60, will cause the major part of the material to leave the car. Such reciprocations with the slipper loosely or closely confined between the collars 57 and 58 will disturb the material sufficiently to cause it to seek its lowest level with the result that with such reciprocations alone. if continued a suflicient length of time, the car could be practically emptied. Even a side-door box car, if loaded with fine grain or other material which flows readily, could be substantially emptied by merely reciprocating the same with no bumps at the ends of the strokes or only slight bumps or jerks (which could be the same at each end of the strokes) without tilting the car, if such rcciproeations are continued a sufficient length of time. Material which flows readily such as wheat, for example, will continually seek its lowest lever like water, as long as it is shaken, jarred, or disturbed in an manner. Conse uently, even a sidedoor ox car loaded wit such material in a horizontal position, if reciprocated, vibrated, bumped, jerked, or otherwise disturbed a sufiicient length of time, would be substantially emptied of its entire contents. Such disturbing would naturally cause the contents to seek the lowest level with the result that material would issue from the sidedoor openings until only a very thin layer remained on the floor of the car.

If desired, the longer stroke reciprocation can be imparted and the bumpers 59 and 60 adjusted so that there will be a heavier bump at one end of the strokes.

This heavier bumping at one end of the strokes will cause the material to move bodily in the car in a direction toward the end at which such bumps occur. This, obviously, will result in causing the material at the opposite end of the car to move toward the center where it will find an exit. After one end of the car has been emptied in this manner, the bumpers 59 and 60 can be oppositely adjusted to cause the bumps to occur at the other end and in like manner empty the other end of the car. By the use of such relatively heavier bumpin at one end only of the strokes, the unloading can be hastened or made more complete.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it iscapable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

I claim: v

1. A car unloader comprising, means for supporting a car containin broken up or granular material and having a discharge opening at or near the bottom and intermediate the ends, and means for reciproeating said car longitudinally for discharging said material from said opening.

2. A car unloader comprising; means for supporting, in an upright position, a car containing broken-up or granular material and having a discharge opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom; and means for vibrating said car, while maintaining the same in an upright position, for discharging said material from said opening.

3. A. car unloader comprising, means for supporting a car and tilting the same side wise in combination with means for reciprocating said car longitudinally.

4. A car unloader comprising, means for supporting a car containing broken up or granular material and having a discharge opening at one side at or near the bottom, means for tilting said car toward the side having said opening, and means for reciprocating said car longitudinally while maintaining said sidewise tilt to, discharge material from said opening.

5. A car unloader comprising, a car supporting platform mounted on a longitudinal axis, means for tilting the platform and car mounted thereon to one side, andmeans for vibrating the car.

6. A car unloader comprising, a car supporting platform mounted on a longitudinal axis, means for tilting the latform and car mounted thereon to one si e and means for vibrating the car by reciprocating the same longitudinally.

7 A car unloader comprising, a car supporting platform mounted on a longitudinal axis, means for tilting the platform and car mounted thereon to one side, and means for reciprocating the car on said platform.

8. A car unloader comprising a car supporting platform, a pair of clamps in conjunction with said platform to hold a car thereon, and means for reciprocating said clamps, whereby said car is likewise, reciprocated.

9. A car unloader comprising a tiltable car supporting platform, a pair of reciproably mounted carriages on said car supporting platform, a pair of clamps carried by said carriages, means for drawing the carriages and clamps toward each other to hold a car on the platform between said clamps, and means for reciprocating the carriages together, whereby the clamps and car held therebetween are likewise reciprocated.

10. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car, means for reciprocating said car, and means for suddenly arresting the movement of said car at one end of th strokes of reciprocation.

11. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car, means for reciprocating said car, and means for suddenly arresting the movement of said car at both ends of the strokes of reciprocation.

12. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car, means for reciprocating the car and means for varying the length of the strokes of reciprocation.

13. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car, means for reciprocating raid car, and means for suddenly arresting the movement of said car at both ends of the strokes of reciprocation, such arresting at one end of said strokes being relatively more sudden than that at the other end.

14. A car unloader. comprising means for supporting a car and tilting the same side-- wise in combination with means for reciprocating said car and means for suddentime at one end of the strokes of reciprocaly arresting the movement of said car at both ends of the strokes of reciprocation while maintaining the sidewise tilt, said arresting being relatively more sudden at one end of said strokes than at the other.

15. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car, means for reciprocating said car, and meansfor suddenly arrestin: the movement of said car for a period 0% '75 tion, and then for a period of time at the other end of the strokes of reciprocation.

16. A car unloader comprising means for supporting a car containing granular ma.- terial and'having a discharge opening at or near the bottom and intermediate the ends, means for maintaining a longitudinal reciprocation of said car for discharging said granular material from said discharge opening, and means for suddenly arresting the movement of said car at one end of the strokes of reciprocation.

The method of unloading a car contam ng broken up or granular material comprising, the providing of a dischar e openmg, and reciprocating said car longitudinally to discharge said material from said opening.

The method of unloading a car conta mng broken up or granular material comprising, the providing of a discharge openng at or near the bottomof the car and intermediate its ends, and reciprocating the car longitudinally to discharge said material from said opening.

19. The method of unloading a side door car containing broken up or granular material comprising, opening the side door, and reciprocating the car longitudinally to discharge said material from said door.

20. The method of unloading a side door car containing broken up or granular material comprising, opening the side door, supporting the car in an upright position, and vibrating the car while maintaining the 110 same in an upright position to discharge said material from said door.

21. The method of unloading a side door car of broken up or granular material comprising opening the side door, tilting the car 115 toward the side with the open door and vibrating the car by reciprocating the same longitudinally to cause material to flow out through said door opening.

22. The method of unloading a car of 120 broken up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at or near the bottom of the car, vibrating the car by re ciprocating the same, and suddenly arresting the movement of the car at one end of the 125 strokes of reciprocation.

23. The method of unloading a car of broken up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at or near the bottom of the ear, vibrating the car by reciprocating the same, and suddenly arresting the movement of the car at one end of the strokes of reciprocation and then at the other'end of said strokes.

24. The method of unloading a car of broken up or. granular material comprising the providing of an opening at or near the bottom of the car, vibrating the car by reciprocating the same, and suddenly arrest-,

ing the movement of the car at both ends of the strokes of reciprocation.

25. The method of unloading a car of broken up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom and vibrating the car by reciprocating the same longitudinally to cause material to flow out through said opening. a

26. The method of unloading a car of broken u or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom, vibrating the car by reciprocating the same, and arresting the movement of the car at one end of the strokes of reciprocation.

27. The method of unloading a car of broken'up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom, vibrating the car by reciprocating the same, and arresting the movement of the car for a period of time at one end of the strokes of reciprocation anal then for .a period of time at the other en 28. The method of unloading a car of broken up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom, vibrating the car by reciprocating the same, and arresting the movement of the car at both ends of the strokes of reciprocation.

29. The method of unloading a car of broken up or granular material comprising the providing of an opening at one side at or near the bottom 0 the car, tilting the car toward the side with the opening, and vibrating the car by reciprocating the same longitudinally to cause material to flow out through said opening.

30. The method of unloading a car of broken up or granular material comprising, providing an opening at one side of the car at or near the bottom, supporting the car in in an upright position, and vibrating the car while maintaining the same in' an upright position to discharge said material from said opening.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2 day of'May, A. l). 1924.

LIONEL COKE HILL. La 

